Ryro Posted February 12 · Supporter Share Posted February 12 (edited) One of my favorite gods not in the 12 on Olympus has got to be Egyptian, old kingdom period, Bes: God of sexuality, humor, fertility and war, this guy was most known as protector God of pregnant woman and children along his loving wife Beset. I was thrilled to find 3 of this very rare type for sale over the weekend. And am very pleased to say that I walked away with this, the 2nd best of the 3, new (slightly used) teeny tiny coin of such a BIG man/God. I have found only 1 other on AC search. SAMARIA Circa 375-333 BC. AR Hemiobol (0.33 Gr. 6mm.) Head of Bes facing within incuse square punch Rev. Phoenician galley left, mast with partially furled sails. Meshorer & Qedar 152. Very Rare. Purchased from N&N London Feb 2024 Some of my other coins featuring this wild man/imal god CILICIA. Uncertain. Circa 400-350 BC. Obol (Silver, 10 mm, 0.58 g, 1 h). Female head facing, turned slightly to left, wearing earrings, necklace and flowing hair (Arethusa?). Rev. Facing head of Bes. Göktürk 44. SNG Levante 233. SNG France 486. Fine metal and attractive on both sides. Very fine. Ex: Leu auction 4 Ex: Nomos Obolos 14 Spain, Ebusus 3rd-2nd cen. BCE; AE Bes standing facing, Rv. Same type of obverse. SNG Copenahgen 88-91. Countermarked Aaaand here is another, Besless, coin of Samaria: Samaria AR Obol. c. 375-333. Galley l., over waves / Persian king battling lion; O between; all within incuse square. Cf. Meshorer- Qedar 22, 199-201. 0.90g, 9mm, 6h. Toned, good VFCondition: Very Fine Ex: Zeus Thanks for taking a look. Please share your coins of the man/imal of the hour, Bes, coins from Samaria, strange and cool deities, or whatever keeps your galley afloat! Edited February 12 by Ryro 14 4 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Anthos Posted February 12 · Member Share Posted February 12 Here's an amulet of Bes my wife found cheap from a coin show pick box while I was spending our savings on coins. I have since donated it to the local university museum along with her other artifacts. ~ Peter 10 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambr0zie Posted February 12 · Member Share Posted February 12 Very, very nice, Ryro! I know this type and I tried bidding on few specimens but unsuccessfully. Here is a coin with an identical reverse (for your second coin of course) but not from Samaria. I chased this type for a long time and even if they are not expensive, I failed. They were either too worn/badly centered or they brought prices I was not willing to spend. This has a bad obverse but a surprisingly good reverse. 10 mm, 0,67 g. Phoenicia, Sidon. 1/16 Shekel AR. Time of Baalshallim II 401-366 BC. Phoenician pentekonter left on waves, letter Beth above / Persian king or hero standing right, fighting lion, Phoenician letter O between them. SNG Copenhagen 197; HGC 10, 240; Elayi 851-1218. As for your Bes coin, even if mine shows a different character, I find it very similar in style. Perhaps it's just me. I love this coin because it allowed me to add an animal in my collection - a theme I follow a lot. And since a decent Aegina, with the turtle showing properly, is out of my reach, this was the perfect choice. 7 mm, 0,30 g. Lesbos, Methymna. AR hemiobol. Circa 400 BC. Bearded head of Silenos facing / Tortoise in dotted square frame. Aufhäuser 14, 127; Lanz 117, 112; G & M 196, 1632. Cf Traité 2263 (circular frame). 12 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryro Posted February 12 · Supporter Author Share Posted February 12 11 minutes ago, Phil Anthos said: Here's an amulet of Bes my wife found cheap from a coin show pick box while I was spending our savings on coins. I have since donated it to the local university museum along with her other artifacts. ~ Peter That is incredible! And good on you for donating it. It reminds me that I forgot to add this little pez sized Bes, or should I say, Bez? That I won with a scarab: 7 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Di Nomos Posted February 12 · Member Share Posted February 12 (edited) I have a drachm from ancient Gaza in Palestine of all places. Struck c. 450 - 330 BC (a large date range so hard to be precise). Persian looking fella on the obverse and Bes on the reverse. Bes will have a pretty serious headache with that test cut (which most examples of this rare coin seem to have). Edited February 12 by Di Nomos 5 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryro Posted February 12 · Supporter Author Share Posted February 12 2 hours ago, ambr0zie said: Very, very nice, Ryro! I know this type and I tried bidding on few specimens but unsuccessfully. Here is a coin with an identical reverse (for your second coin of course) but not from Samaria. I chased this type for a long time and even if they are not expensive, I failed. They were either too worn/badly centered or they brought prices I was not willing to spend. This has a bad obverse but a surprisingly good reverse. 10 mm, 0,67 g. Phoenicia, Sidon. 1/16 Shekel AR. Time of Baalshallim II 401-366 BC. Phoenician pentekonter left on waves, letter Beth above / Persian king or hero standing right, fighting lion, Phoenician letter O between them. SNG Copenhagen 197; HGC 10, 240; Elayi 851-1218. As for your Bes coin, even if mine shows a different character, I find it very similar in style. Perhaps it's just me. I love this coin because it allowed me to add an animal in my collection - a theme I follow a lot. And since a decent Aegina, with the turtle showing properly, is out of my reach, this was the perfect choice. 7 mm, 0,30 g. Lesbos, Methymna. AR hemiobol. Circa 400 BC. Bearded head of Silenos facing / Tortoise in dotted square frame. Aufhäuser 14, 127; Lanz 117, 112; G & M 196, 1632. Cf Traité 2263 (circular frame). Thanks! I certainly like your Shekel's reverse more than mine. and that sweet Lesbian reminds me of mine: Lesbos, Methymna, Hemiobol, ca. 350-240 BC; AR (g 0,31; mm 7; h 9); Facing head of Silenos, Rv. Tortoise within incuse circle. Franke -. HGC 6, 900-901. SNG Copenhagen -. SNG von Aulock -. 8 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor DonnaML Posted February 12 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted February 12 Congratulations, @Ryro! You've seen this before, but I think it's always worth posting on the right occasion: Egypt, glazed green faience amulet of dwarf god Bes (protector god of pregnant women and children), Late Dynastic Period, ca. 730-332 BCE, 44 mm. H x 28 mm. W. Purchased 22 Aug. 2007, Helios Gallery, UK, ex private collection, Wiltshire, UK. 11 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor kirispupis Posted February 13 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted February 13 Very interesting pickup! I have a number of coins from Samaria, but nothing that depicts Bes. Personally, I still think your coins depict not Bes, but an ancient version of Mr. T. I do have this particular one from Samaria. Per Meshorer & Qedar, we're unsure whether Bedyehibel was a governor of Samaria or whether the phrase is an expression. Samaria, 'Middle Levantine' Series Bedyehibel (or Beruhibel) Circa 375-333 BCE Hemiobol AR 10 mm, 0.35 g, 5 h The Persian Great King seated to right, holding flower in his right hand and scepter in his left. Rev. The Persian Great King standing right, raising his right hand and holding scepter in his left; behind to left, 𐡁𐡓𐡉𐡇𐡁𐡋 ('bdyhbl' in Aramaic). Meshorer & Qedar 14. Sofaer 91-92 Ex Canaan Collection, Leu Web Auction 2020 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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